Today’s workout was really going to push my limits and I actually knew before I started that I wouldn’t be able to complete it as is. So, I decided to push as hard as I could for as long as I could and set a benchmark so that the next time this workout comes around in the rotation that I have a baseline to beat.
The New Leaf workout for today was to spend 109 minutes in Zone 3. As a reminder, Zone 3 is my heart rate somewhere between 171 and 183. Now, in my prior workouts, I was having trouble staying in Zone 2 (heart rate between 160 – 170). Last week, for example, I was able to stay in Zone 2 for 43 minutes.
For this workout, I averaged a heart rate of 156 and reached a max of 176. I stayed in Zone 3 for 12.5 minutes! I’ve never done that before… and, let me tell you, that was a LONG 12.5 minutes. I then dropped down to Zone 2 for another 55 minute… again, a new record here.
At about 90 minutes in, I first caught myself dropping down below Zone 1 but I pushed harder for another 10 minutes to stay in Zone 1 as long as I could (I was in Zone 1 for 29 minutes). At that point, I was really feeling tired and started a very long cool down.
While I definitely didn’t hit the goals of this workout, I set some baselines for myself to work against next week. I was pretty happy when I got of the Arc Trainer. I think my legs were quite thankful as well! I am now in the 5th week of the New Leaf Program and each week more time is added and the intensity is increased. I think, if I was doing this over again, I’d have started with a shorter workout time as the times are definitely getting to be a bit much as I have to get up earlier and earlier. We’ll see…
How was your workout today?
That sounds incredible. Kudos to you for going as long and as hard as you did! Are you seeing the results that you’d hoped you would by being on this workout plan? Did you set smaller goals (weight, time, zones, etc) that you’re trying meet throughout the workout or do you have one overall goal?
Hi Jessica, Thanks! From a fitness side, I am definitely seeing improvements so that is good. From a weight perspective, I am not seeing the results I wanted but I know why and just need to concentrate a bit more. Right now, I am setting smaller goals for each workout based upon the results of the prior workouts as I know that I can’t do the workout exactly as prescribed by New Leaf. If I see improvements from week to week … I’ll be a very happy camper.